Rob Bruggeman
Encyclopedia
Robert Bruggeman is an American football
center
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Iowa
.
He has also been a member of the Atlanta Falcons
.
at Washington High School
in Cedar Rapids
, Iowa
, where he earned three varsity letters while playing both offensive and defensive line.
During his sophomore year, Rob garnered honorable mention All-Mississippi Valley Conference honors.
During his junior and senior seasons, Bruggeman earned first-team All-Conference distinction as well as elite first team All-State honors. Bruggeman also helped the Warriors post a 21-2 record over those two years, with one loss coming at the end of each season. He was high school teammates with New Orleans Saints
wide receiver
Adrian Arrington
.
as a preferred walk-on with fellow teammate Gavin McGrath in 2004.
After redshirting during his first year with the Hawkeyes in 2004, Rob saw action in games against Ball State
and Minnesota
during the 2005 season. Injuries limited his playing time in 2006, but Bruggeman was able to contribute in several games towards the end of 2007. Though he was unable to play in the first 9 games of the season due to injury, Bruggeman saw action against Northwestern
, Minnesota
, and Western Michigan
to end the Hawkeyes' 2008 campaign.
Iowa's 2008 season turned out to be a breakout one for Bruggeman, starting with first-string center designation from Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz following spring practice. Bruggeman started every game at center for the Hawkeyes in 2008, including their resounding Outback Bowl
victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks
.
Bruggeman earned first team District Seven Academic All-America honors and Academic All-Big Ten accolades following his senior season. He was named to the second team All-Big Ten list by the league’s coaches and media.
Scouting Combine. Because of a lingering injury, Bruggeman opted not to participate in the running drills at the combine, but did post an impressive 30 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press exercise, good for 10th best among offensive linemen and 19th best among all combine participants.
, Bruggeman was signed to a free agent deal by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
on May 1, 2009. He played in all four pre-season games. He was waived by the Buccaneers in September 2009.
. In his spare time he enjoys playing Settlers of Catan and throwing bags.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
He has also been a member of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Bruggeman went to high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at Washington High School
Washington High School (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Washington High School is a public high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa-The First Washington High School:Construction began on the first Washington in 1855 on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Fifth Street S.E. It was a three-story brick building with a white belfry, and it was the largest public school...
in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, where he earned three varsity letters while playing both offensive and defensive line.
During his sophomore year, Rob garnered honorable mention All-Mississippi Valley Conference honors.
During his junior and senior seasons, Bruggeman earned first-team All-Conference distinction as well as elite first team All-State honors. Bruggeman also helped the Warriors post a 21-2 record over those two years, with one loss coming at the end of each season. He was high school teammates with New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Adrian Arrington
Adrian Arrington
Adrian Jarrard Arrington is an American football wide receiver who is currently a wide receiver of the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft and called up from the team's practice squad before Week 17 of the 2010 NFL season...
.
College career
After a highly successful high school career, Rob decided to attend the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
as a preferred walk-on with fellow teammate Gavin McGrath in 2004.
After redshirting during his first year with the Hawkeyes in 2004, Rob saw action in games against Ball State
Ball State Cardinals football
The Ball State Cardinals football team represents Ball State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Mid-American Conference .-Recent history:...
and Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
during the 2005 season. Injuries limited his playing time in 2006, but Bruggeman was able to contribute in several games towards the end of 2007. Though he was unable to play in the first 9 games of the season due to injury, Bruggeman saw action against Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
, Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
, and Western Michigan
Western Michigan Broncos
The Western Michigan Broncos are a NCAA Division I FBS team representing Western Michigan University. They compete in the Mid-American Conference in men's baseball, basketball, football, soccer and tennis; and women's basketball, cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, track and field,...
to end the Hawkeyes' 2008 campaign.
Iowa's 2008 season turned out to be a breakout one for Bruggeman, starting with first-string center designation from Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz following spring practice. Bruggeman started every game at center for the Hawkeyes in 2008, including their resounding Outback Bowl
2009 Outback Bowl
The 2009 Outback Bowl was a college football bowl game played as the first official sporting event in the USA on January 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Scheduled for a kickoff of 11 AM US EST and telecast on ESPN, the game pit the South Carolina Gamecocks against the Iowa...
victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
.
Bruggeman earned first team District Seven Academic All-America honors and Academic All-Big Ten accolades following his senior season. He was named to the second team All-Big Ten list by the league’s coaches and media.
Pre-draft
After playing at center for the Hawkeyes, Bruggeman was one of 330 players invited to the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Scouting Combine. Because of a lingering injury, Bruggeman opted not to participate in the running drills at the combine, but did post an impressive 30 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press exercise, good for 10th best among offensive linemen and 19th best among all combine participants.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After going undrafted during the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, Bruggeman was signed to a free agent deal by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
on May 1, 2009. He played in all four pre-season games. He was waived by the Buccaneers in September 2009.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons signed Bruggeman as a free agent on September 7, 2009. He was added to the Falcons' practice squad on September 8. After his contract expired following the season, Bruggeman was signed to a future contract on January 4, 2010. He was waived on September 12, 2011.Personal
Bruggeman is the son of Chuck and Joyce Bruggeman of Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
. In his spare time he enjoys playing Settlers of Catan and throwing bags.